document management? automate it

illustration of manila folders dropping from laptop screensolutions for firms of all sizes.

by roman h. kepczyk
quantum of paperless: technology guide & checklist

the network drive in most firms is not very well organized and requires the most cleanup. this happens because it is usually managed with microsoft windows explorer, which allows almost anyone to create or access a file anywhere on the drive.

more: the 4 buckets of firm knowledge | why digital communications matter | the right tech tools for covid work-from-home | it’s 10 p.m. do you know where your backups are?
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unfortunately, there is seldom a firm standard that is adhered to, allowing users to create files with any naming convention they want and store it anywhere they choose. the result can be files that are hard to find and slow to search across the network.
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the 4 buckets of firm knowledge

four empty metal bucketspower bi is gaining on excel for dashboards.

by roman h. kepczyk
quantum of paperless: technology guide & checklist

firm knowledge and information is usually stored in one of four “buckets.” the most obvious is within the accounting applications themselves where tax, audit and accounting programs store client files in a format that can only be accessed with that program. files are usually indexed and accessed in designated directories so there is not much the firm can do about moving these files.

more: why digital communications matter | the case for wireless broadband access | maximize your office 365 roi | how the cloud impacts server replacement | capturing documents at the source
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the second bucket for more advanced firms is a document management application where final documents can be archived in alignment with a comprehensive document retention plan and easily searched. the 2019 cpafma survey pointed to 30 percent of firms utilizing their document management application for intranet purposes.
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why digital communications matter

voicemail word cloud… but don’t forget security.

by roman h. kepczyk
quantum of paperless: technology guide & checklist

we’ve said that firms should strive to capture all data in a digital format at its “root” source. this goes for services such as the firm’s fax and voice mail systems as well.

more: the case for wireless broadband access | internet bandwidth: how much is enough? | the right tech tools for covid work-from-home | maximize your office 365 roi | why you need windows 10 with automatic updates | it’s 10 p.m. do you know where your backups are? | how the cloud impacts server replacement | laptops vs. desktops | the best scanners to buy today | capturing documents at the source | the more monitors, the better
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traditional inbound faxes are usually printed from a fax machine and then hand-delivered to the recipient’s desk. in some cases, this fax image is actually rescanned and emailed to the recipient. while this is a step toward digital delivery, today’s digital fax systems deliver a digital image to the recipient via email, so they can access them within their email.
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the case for wireless broadband access

illustration of network with city backgrounddon’t rely on whatever your client provides.

by roman h. kepczyk
quantum of paperless: technology guide & checklist

one of the revolutions in remote connectivity is found within your cell phone as digital cellular providers have beefed up and expanded their networks to provide reliable internet access to remote devices. today, the vast majority of the united states and canada has access to the internet through the 4g digital cellular network at speeds of 1mpbs or more, which is adequate for remote access to most applications, particularly those hosted by cloud providers.

more: internet bandwidth: how much is enough? | the right tech tools for covid work-from-home | it’s 10 p.m. do you know where your backups are?
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the key today is to determine which service provider is the best in your firm’s specific area of operations.
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internet bandwidth: how much is enough?

illustration of bandwidth usewhat about redundancy?

by roman h. kepczyk
quantum of paperless: technology guide & checklist

the internet has undoubtedly had a profound impact on firm communications. it has become the primary driver toward the next generation of accounting applications that run entirely on the web through “cloud” computing.

more: the right tech tools for covid work-from-home | maximize your office 365 roi | how the cloud impacts server replacement | capturing documents at the source
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before we get ahead of ourselves discussing cloud opportunities, we have to assess how the internet is used within your firm today. most likely the internet is

  • a digital pipeline,
  • a conduit for communications, updates, research and backups, and
  • a platform for exchanging files with clients.

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the right tech tools for covid work-from-home

ipads, android, or microsoft surface?

by roman h. kepczyk
quantum of paperless: technology guide & checklist

one of the key components in optimizing firm production is providing the capability for firm personnel to work from any place, at any time, at their own convenience. allowing experienced firm personnel the ability to work remotely used to be a key employee retention strategy. then came covid-19 and it became a necessity.

more: maximize your office 365 roi | why you need windows 10 with automatic updates | it’s 10 p.m. do you know where your backups are? | how the cloud impacts server replacement | laptops vs. desktops | the best scanners to buy today | capturing documents at the source | the more monitors, the better
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giving your personnel secure access to the firm’s application and data resources allows them to work effectively outside normal office hours and avoid unnecessary commuting time.

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get proactive with software updates

words "time for an update" on clock facefor servers, have personnel on hand.

by roman h. kepczyk
quantum of paperless: technology guide & checklist

every firm has concerns about their systems being hacked, getting attacked by a virus or malware, or being the victim of ransomware that encrypts all the firm’s data. the 2018 cpafma survey found an increase in firms impacted by ransomware, which carried into the 2020 survey.

more: maximize your office 365 roi | why you need windows 10 with automatic updates | it’s 10 p.m. do you know where your backups are? | how the cloud impacts server replacement | laptops vs. desktops | the best scanners to buy today | capturing documents at the source | the more monitors, the better
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the vast majority of these virus and malware issues can be effectively negated with one simple process: keep your software updated on your servers and individual workstations.
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maximize your office 365 roi

three young businessmen in office training sessiondon’t settle for adequate knowledge.

by roman h. kepczyk
quantum of paperless: technology guide & checklist

to be effective in business today, every member of your firm must optimally utilize the microsoft office suite at an intermediate to advanced level for outlook, excel, and word.

more: why you need windows 10 with automatic updates | it’s 10 p.m. do you know where your backups are? | how the cloud impacts server replacement | laptops vs. desktops | the best scanners to buy today | capturing documents at the source | the more monitors, the better
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firms have traditionally been behind the adoption curve because of the lag time of accounting vendors supporting the latest version, particularly for audit engagement binders.

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why you need windows 10 with automatic updates

"update" key on computer keyboardtax personnel need more ram than others.

by roman h. kepczyk
quantum of paperless: technology guide & checklist

okay, we all know that the microsoft windows operating system is preferred to run computers by the primary vendors to the accounting profession.

more: it’s 10 p.m. do you know where your backups are? | how the cloud impacts server replacement | laptops vs. desktops | the best scanners to buy today | capturing documents at the source | the more monitors, the better
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with microsoft discontinuing support of windows 7 on jan. 14, 2020, and windows 8 receiving poor reviews, it is recommended that all firms standardize on windows 10 and have the system configured for automatic updates.
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no backups? no excuses!

composite image of hand writing with markertoo many firms are still ignoring the basics.

by roman h. kepczyk
quantum of paperless: technology guide & checklist

your firm’s safety net in the event of any disaster is your data backup.

more: how the cloud impacts server replacement | laptops vs. desktops | the best scanners to buy today | capturing documents at the source | the more monitors, the better
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it had better be consistently performed and securely stored offsite.

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how the cloud impacts server replacement

you can save, but don’t hand the task to just anyone.

by roman h. kepczyk
quantum of paperless: technology guide & checklist

the traditional core computers used for operating all applications are file servers managed internally within the firm. downtime for a day or two is a disaster. if an “out of service” stoppage stretches to a week or more, partner income will suffer measurably.

more: laptops vs. desktops | the best scanners to buy today | capturing documents at the source | the more monitors, the better
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simply put, mission-critical file servers utilized for tax, audit, time and billing, and email have – at most – an effective five-year life. after this time, equipment becomes significantly more difficult to maintain whether you have a warranty or not.
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laptops vs. desktops

standardization can save you 26%.

by roman h. kepczyk
quantum of paperless: technology guide & checklist

getting the right mix of mobility is critical for firms today. the accounting professional’s rule of thumb is that everyone who works out of the office one day per week or more and needs to be self-contained should have a laptop as their only machine. thanks to covid-19, those numbers grew by leaps and bounds in 2020.

more: the best scanners to buy today | capturing documents at the source | the more monitors, the better
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the obvious exception to this is for tax or administrative personnel who would never work from remote client sites and have a computer at home that they can use to connect to the firm via a secure remote access solution. however, this is changing. the string of natural disasters over the past two decades – along with the promotion of remote work opportunities to retain staff as well as the transition to more cloud-based applications – has led some firms toward making the decision that all professional staff will utilize a laptop as their only workstation.
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the best scanners to buy today

scanners are critical tools. two to know: fujitsu and canon.

https://amzn.to/34v9agt
a cpa firm cost-effective favorite: the fujitsu scansnap ix1500

by roman h. kepczyk
quantum of paperless: technology guide & checklist

one of the keys to optimizing production processes is capturing information at its “root” source. this means when data enters your firm, regardless of the format (mail, fax, email, portal, and even as a text message).

more tech guide: the more monitors, the betterthe top portable monitors for working from homeit deserves a strategic plan and budgetdevelop monthly it ‘flash’ reportswhy you need an independent security review |  ‘learning culture’ requires standardized processes | centralize contact administration

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ideally, source documents would be provided to the firm in a digital format such as secured email or preferably through a web portal. but the reality today is that a significant portion of accounting firm source documents continues to arrive from clients in a traditional paper format.

your firm will need to develop processes to efficiently scan, name, and store these documents. having the right physical scanners in place is required to optimize the timely capturing of data at three levels: production, workgroup, and individual.

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